Beauty in Three Ordinary Things

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Most of the time we glide past ordinary objects without thinking about what it is we’re experiencing. There’s nothing wrong with doing this. Few people can focus intensely on everything around them all of the time.

Last week I stumbled across some magnified photographs of sand. This is what grits between your toes and stubbornly clings to your towel at the beach. Amazing.

Your challenge today is to pay attention.

Kneel down.

Look up.

Back away.

Peer closer.

Sometimes beauty pops out at us right away, at other times it comes in unexpected packages: edges worn smooth, weeping rust, flaky paint, a shaggy dog panting in the shade.

This is what I’ve seen over the last year. What do you see in your environment?

Back when mobile phone cams were VGA and data rates were slow I tried to start a moblog community of random acts of worship and creativity with such pictures. Perhaps now it would be a twitter #hashtag?

I love this post so much. I have this thought so many times! Your pictures are lovely, too. We were looking at the garden the other day and I grabbed for my camera and had left it in the house, but little tomatoes were forming on the vine and I was struck by the thought that seeing those little tiny green orbs made me feel so excited, hopeful, and expectant!! There is so much of life that we miss and it’s a good reminder to take time to notice those things and moments!

Yesterday I was sat by the window watching the rain pour down on
what I’d hoped would be a hot summer Sunday. As I was willing it to go away, I
realized that the cup of hot coffee that I was enjoying at the same moment was
only possible because of that very rain. Sometimes
beauty is not where we expect it to be. J

Lydia, a teacher friend of mine who retired last year told me how much she is enjoying the everyday things she sees now. Before, she would look at the clouds and think: “How pretty it looks.” and then go on. Now she has the time to sit outside and watch the clouds change shape and marvel how beautiful things are in nature.

Great post! This morning I saw a lovely slug out in my yard while I was listening to my sprinkler guy telling me where they have to dig. He was amazed that I wanted the slug moved out of the way, but of course he honored that–no killing in my yard! And the slug was so beautiful! I need to write a haiku about it! Your photos are quite lovely!

I don’t know what it is, but I love old wood. I love the thought of old barns being re-purposed into pieces of furniture. Sometimes you just have to slow down, clear your mind and take pleasure in the simpler things in life.